


Mångata

by hellomrschorusgirl



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Norse Religion & Lore, F/M, Marvel Norse Lore, References to Norse Religion & Lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 06:21:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16907757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellomrschorusgirl/pseuds/hellomrschorusgirl
Summary: Born from a falling star erupting on Asgardian ground, her small body was covered in little marks that would grow into birth marks representing the constellations. Once of age, Y/N agreed to married Thor and become the future queen of Asgard. Now she is the goddess of the stars and accompanies Heimdall during his watch. However, as the universe exhibits a unique yet peculiar string of events, she is forced to seek shelter on Midgard from an enemy that might just be her own flesh and blood.





	1. Chapter 1

You stood bare in the reflection of the moon, a rich and deep golden hue circling your Y/E/C eyes whenever you’re admiring the stars. Your twin boys are sound asleep in the adjoining room yet your husband Thor is still tending to your daughter, trying to sing her to sleep. His atrocious singing voice only inspires laughter in the blonde-haired child and just like many nights before, Thor shows her Mjolnir and tells her the tale of how his hammer was created. Eventually she doses off into slumber, sleeping soundly throughout the changing of day into night.

“Shall we bathe together, wife?” The God’s rumbling voice is accompanied by the whisk of thunder, emphasising his request to spend some time with his other half. Without awaiting your reply, he sheds himself of his robes and presses his girth against the small of your back as he embraces your curves. He is not a shy man and already thick with arousal for what the night will bring.

While you crane your head so you can present your husband with a loving kiss, the golden rim around your eyes grows into a stormy light blue sparkle befitting the God of thunder. “Of course, husband.”

Guiding you by the hand first before swooping you up into his arms, he carries you towards the bathroom. Entirely made of Asgardian marble, the bathroom has an open roof so the waterfall can cascade down on you as you look up to the heavens above. His strong hands dig into your hips as he pulls you into his chest.

“Did you see the changing of the stars this eve?,” you inquire softy as he rinses your hair.

“No, I did not.” His answer rumbles through his chest like a lightning bolt through the sky. “Why should I care about the stars that are so remote when I have a far more celestial being right in front of me?”

Caressing your voluptuous body with a tenderness many claim the crude Asgardian does not possess, he washes you softly, gently massaging the oils into your skin while paying close attention to the markings that are the wondrous constellations etched onto your skin. “Sometimes you can be such a barbarian, all divine beauty lost on those electric eyes.”

The blond’s chest heaves with laughter. “The only divine beauty I see is you, Y/N.”

“I am in love with a fool,” you chuckle heartily, a warm smile playing on your lips as you press a chaste kiss to his cheek. Another follows quickly after and soon your lips are permanently locked with his.

When he tucks away your wet hair with his strong, sturdy hands, Thor kisses your forehead affectionately. “The Lady Sif informed me of your training. She speaks to me of your progress yet still you refuse to wear the armour I had made for you.”

You sigh softly into your robust shoulder, running your fingertips over his collarbone while resting your cheek in the nape of his neck. “I have no desire to look like a warrior. I prefer the robes of a wife and mother.”

“Whatever robes you choose to wear, my queen, you will always be a warrior. Even when you were bearing the fruit of my offspring in your womb, you were fighting alongside the lady Sif and myself.”

Thor gazes down at you with an endearing expression. “I am aware of your lack of need for weapons, your godly abilities providing you with sufficient protection. But Y/N, despite your immortality, your flesh still holds a boundary of weakness.”

His fingers trail down your back as they follow the constellation of Orion. “At daybreak, I will see to it that the armour fits. Then I shall attend to my usual tasks. Satisfied, husband?”

Thor places an open-mouthed kiss to your pulse point, seeking out the sensitivity of your human flesh so he can inspire some much-needed relaxation upon your tight, sore muscles. “Very much so, wife. Do they still need your services at the Soul Forge?”

“Odin has decided that Frigga shall continue without me. My presence is therefore required at Heimdall’s side at all times.”

The blond senses there is something off about your answer. Heimdall does a fine job at keeping Asgard and the nine realms safe. So why is it that the Alvader rules with such an unusual insistence?

“If anything happens, Y/N, you must take our child and hide on Midgard. My friends, the Avengers, shall protect you,” Thor speaks carefully into your ear. “If the alignment of these stars is indeed as peculiar as you have told me, then it is not safe on Asgard.”

“But what will you do?,” you query with concern as Thor’s feather-light affections shift from your hips to your face, his warm hands cupping your face.

“You are not of this realm. Odin has warned us that the day your ancestors might come for you might be closer than ever before.” Searching your eyes, the blond speaks insistently. “Tell me more. What have you seen?”

“I can show you.” Looking up to the sky, you release one of your arms wrapped around Thor’s waist to reveal to his eyes the same miracles your eyes fall upon every second of every day. Many more stars are now exposed to his baffled gaze and their light fills up the heavens in a rainbow of metamorphosis.

The changing of the clouds on Midgard is nothing compared to the exchanging of celestial energy between two stars of this universe and perhaps the next. “This realm is enveloped by three fiery stars and one of ice, one of earth and one of air. These stars are called Elementals and once they align, they morph into one entity.”

Thor followers your pointer finger, directing his eyes towards where one heavenly object shines brighter than the others. “That’s the earth star, the sun of Midgard.”

Her fingertips now reach another stellar, forming the tip of the nose of one of your favourite constellations, the little bear. “That’s the most beautiful star, the ice star. It is the diamond of the galaxy. And right next to it is the air star. Both of them are only visible at the stroke of midnight and only for a very limited window.”

Enraptured by the mysteries unfolding before his curious gaze, Thor returns his attention towards the wondrous creature in his arms. “And what about the three stars of fire?”

Squeezing your ass with a teasing chuckle, you lift the veil of the skies one last time for your husband to worship its exquisiteness. “They only shine at dawn, but only few can see them. Even Heimdall has to look very closely before he can locate their position.”

“But you can see them effortlessly,” the Asgardian hums lowly. “My omniscient wife.”

“I only have to look at the stars and I can see various possible future outcomes unfold in front of my eyes,” you smile up at your blond deity. “But with the alignment of the stars comes the alignment of the past, present and future.”

There’s a fair warning to your tone, goose bumps rising on your exposed skin. “It is a most dangerous time loop that will be created. Things that have been done, can be made undone. Events that have yet to come, can be postponed or even worse, obliterated. Time is most fickle and to meddle with the wheels of time is a death sentence.”

“And have you brought your suspicions to Odin’s attention as well?”

You shake your head in regret. “I have not. Odin is too enamoured by his grandchildren to be bothered with the tides of the universe.”

“My dearest, you should inform my father as of immediately!,” Thor presses with clear firmness. “We must protect the nine realms if such a dark fate awaits us!”

“My love, it is not certain these stars will ever align. And if they do, we will be prepared for it. I will speak to Odin at the council in two days’ time.” His eyes swirl in a great depth of blue and they easily remind you of your twin boys. “No need to worry yet, my love.”

All your children have the same eyes, Thor’s eyes, even though Stella’s are a tint darker. There’s truly no purer colour than Asgardian sapphire, yet there’s a part of you that wishes your celestial powers wouldn’t prohibit you from passing on your unique eye colour.

“Agreed. I trust you, Y/N,” Thor replies as he cradles your body in his arms, his lips resting against your temple. “I love you, too.”

“It is a most interesting thing to witness, the dynamics between Atlas, Frey, Stella and Odin.” Now it is your turn to take care of Thor, his favourite oil in the palm of your hand as you see to his muscled torso.

“Atlas, the apple of Odin’s eye, the young giant who appears to have been created in his father’s image and possesses the strength of titans. My sweet, frail Frey with his boyish features has charmed his way to Frigga’s heart. And even though he might not hold a mirror to his father’s looks, he does have his mother’s heart that yearns for the infinity of the galaxy. And Stella, oh Stella.”

With a loving chuckle, you swiftly turn on the heels of your feet so you are facing Thor’s back, continuing your careful ministration. “My girl with the temperament of a thousand stars. One day she will be as mighty and as worthy as her father.”

“I would argue with you on that,” the God of Thunder hums softly, enchanted by your tender touches and the butterfly kisses they accompany. ““Odin does not have any favourites, and neither does Frigga. But you are right.”

“A wife is always right,” you wink at him once you are face to face again. “Isn’t that why you waited so long to ask for my hand in marriage?”

Rolling his eyes at you, Thor spins you around so your back hits his sturdy chest for the God adores the feeling of your plump ass against his member. “Atlas is a miniature version of myself and he indeed possesses the ability to influence the sky,” he whispers into your ears as he embraces you tightly.

“Frey takes after his mother in many ways and is the cleverest of the three.” His hands roam your stomach, appreciating the soft skin with great precision so he does not miss an inch. “And Stella, she is the heir to my throne, the thunder in my veins. My little girl will master the art of the heavens faster than Atlas will bring forth his first victory or Frey will solve his first riddle.”

Thanks to the comfort of the warm shower and your husband’s body sheltering you from all negativity, you allow yourself to melt into him without a worry on your mind. “Such beautiful children,” you sigh quietly as Thor pecks the sweet spot under your ear.

“If I had known you would bless me with such precious offspring, I would’ve courted you sooner!”

Thor has always been the most valiant and gallant of lovers. Nevertheless, even when he was younger, he already had a very outspoken profile and very direct in his affections. Soon the whole of Asgard had heard of the God’s advances towards you. However that did not stop him from pursuing you, for Thor does not know any shame in the game of love. Never with little presents and neither with grand gestures, but always with a message straight from his heart.

“You courted me as soon as I started showing interest in boys,” you mumble to yourself as his lips find another sensitive spot to woo. Your hips sway gently while you cross your arms over his and take his hands in yours. “But I only ever had eyes for one.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Heimdall,” you say his name in a saccharine tone as you wield your sword, taking in a defensive stance. “Fight me.”

The watcher bursts into a fit of hearty laughter, shaking his head at your ridiculousness. “I will not fight you, lady Y/N, for Thor would have my head if there was so much as a scratch on his beloved wife.”

Snickering while you lower your sword again, you walk up next to Heimdall and place a hand on his shoulder. “You would never win anyway, my dear Heimdall.”

He scoffs lightly but does not reply to your assumption, yet keeping his gaze focused on the galaxies in front of you. Then, with a soft voice, he speaks of the stars folding and evolving for as long as today’s watch lasts. Time flies faster when you share it with Heimdall, keeping a watchful eye over the Bifrost.

“Which planet do you reckon Thor has gone to?,” you hum quietly as you ask your question to the amber-eyed man.

“I am in no position to reveal that information to you, lady Y/N.” was your answer. Heimdall tears his eyes away from the stars for just a minute, smiling down at you with a gentleness unmatched. “But he will return to your hearth soon enough.”

“It’s just – something doesn’t feel right, Heimdall,” you divulge further, delving into the thoughts aggressively gnawing at the corners of your heart. “It may not seem like the stars are changing, but I can sense that they are.”

Heimdall looks back at you with worrisome eyes. “What makes you say that, Y/N?”

Waving your hand to clear up the clouds of the universe, a small burst of light catches his attention. “This. Light erupting from nothingness. That is what troubles me.”

The apparition vanishes as swiftly as it came once you snap your fingers and a tiny amount of stardust flickers in the palm of your hand. “Odin says I should not burden my mind with visions of darkness as I was meant to bring light instead.”

“Odin sometimes refuses to see,” Heimdall reasons with you, the grip on his sword tightening, “what demands to be seen. This should not be taken lightly. These rays are not to be trusted.”

Just as he has uttered those words, another burst of light shakes up the Bifrost and the very foundations of Asgard, rumbling through your chest as a fair warning. You would have fallen to the floor if Heimdall had not released his sword to catch you.

“Seek shelter!,” you call out to your friend once another quake hits. “I shall guard the Bifrost!”

“No, Y/N, you must seek shelter. Go find your children,” he replies with perseverance. “I will get Thor.”

Just as you’re about to turn around and head for your personal quarters, a certain dark-haired individual appears in front of you, halting your actions immediately. “Loki! What are you doing here?”

You want to dismiss him and get to your children as fast as possible, but something in his eyes stops you. “Is it Thor?” Turning back to Heimdall, your questioning look and raised brows ask him if he has yet managed to locate Thor. The man shakes his head, and you return your attention to the God of mischief.

“With regret I have to inform you that my brother will not be returning to Asgard,” Loki speaks softly, much kindness in his voice. Loki has always been kind to you, even though you did marry his brother. “He has been imprisoned.”

“Then we must free him as of immediately!,” you exclaim while rushing past him. “Take me to where Thor is,” is your request to Heimdall yet it is again Loki who stops you.

“I’m afraid that is not possible, Y/N,” he whispers tenderly, your eyes turning a peculiar shade of green as you lock eyes with him. They always turn green whenever Loki is around. “He has been captured in a realm between realms. The only way to access it, is to disrupt the cosmos.”

“But how did Thor succeed in this?”

Loki sighs and momentarily closes his eyes. His hand on your arm allows you access his mind where he shows you a vision of Thor, the same vision he had earlier. “I was minding my own business when this vision appeared to me.”

It shows Thor, battered and bruised, bloody and chained, surrounded by a glowing haze in a brightly-lit room. The sight triggers something inside of you, some kind of recognition even though you are positive you have never even set foot in that very same room.

“How do we disrupt the cosmos, Loki?,” you ask him again, this time more sternly. “I need my husband by my side. My children need to grow up with their father and I will not rest before I find him.”

“You can’t just disrupt the cosmos, Y/N,” Heimdall interjects with his steady voice, turning the sword to open the Bifrost, “But I know someone who might be able to point you in the right direction. Yet be warned, you will not like who it is.”

“Hey Tony, do you know why there’s a woman and her three kids sitting in the common room?,” Sam comments as he enters Tony’s lab where he’s tinkering on one of his suits, as per usual.

The scientist groans and shoves his equipment aside, running a hand down his face. “Yeah, about that…,” he begins as he dusts himself off and takes a sip from the beer bottle sitting on his desk. “I think we gotta have a chat with the team first before I drop that bomb.”

“Wow, that heavy?,” Sam chuckles at the man of iron, “Don’t tell me she’s your old high school sweetheart here to break the news to you that one of those little ones is actually yours? Will there be a junior Avenger on the team soon?”

“Jesus Christ, Sam,” Tony curses under his breath, nudging his shoulder with a hard look in his eyes. “Just… tell Steve to get the team together in the kitchen in five, kay?”

The brown-eyed man nods even though he’s still a little suspicious, and pitches the idea to Steve who eventually assembles all Avengers in the kitchen. Wanda was perched on the kitchen counter, munching on an apple, Natasha and Clint sitting on one of the chairs.

Steve was in full Captain mode, leaning against the wall, his shoulder touching Bucky’s ever so slightly as they were both waiting for Tony’s explanation. Sam on the other hand didn’t look like he’d just eaten a whole citron, instead downing a bottle of water all at once, his gym bag at his feet as he joins Wanda on the top of the counter.

“So,” Tony coughs dryly as he wrings his hands nervously in his lap, “By now you all must’ve noticed we’ve got a couple new guests.”

Nat eyes Tony as she nudges Clint’s side, who looks up from his phone and makes a comment about your kids. “I don’t know who she is but she sure has three little troublemakers on her hands. But I thought you didn’t like kids, Tony?”

“Don’t start, Barton,” Tony reprimands his teammate, the bags underneath his eyes darker as he looks over his shoulder through the glass and over to. You’re sitting on the floor in front of the couch, playing with Frey in your lap, Stella making little braids in your hair while Atlas is dozing off on the couch.

“This morning, while you were all still busy rolling your muscles at the gym, she showed up at my doorstep with her children at her side. Apparently, her daughter created a portal that allowed her to travel from Asgard to Earth. Conveniently, she ended up right in front of my sleeping quarters. She is seeking shelter here and asked me to give her some time first so her kids can adjust to Midgard. Given they’ve been here for an entire morning, I think it’s time y’all meet Y/N.”

“Don’t tell me -,” Steve starts off but Tony’s grave expression already answers his question before he can finish it.

“Yes,” he confirms with a sad voice, “That woman is Thor’s wife. Those kids are Thor’s.”

“What happened to Thor?,” Sam pipes up, his comment met with mumbling from the two super soldiers.

Natasha clears her throat and gets up from her seat. “I guess this calls for a woman’s touch?” With a confident yet delicate stride, Natasha makes her way to the common room, only to be stopped by a very serious Tony on her way out, his fingers lacing around her upper arm.

With fierce eyes the assassin fixes her stern gaze on Tony, her eyes softening as she sees the concern he’s swallowed ever so quietly. “Don’t worry, Tony, I know how to handle a grieving woman.”

It’s a conclusion she so gracefully derived from Tony’s distant interaction with the team. He hasn’t fled into his obsessive habit to tinker on anything and everything when something’s bothering him, or to bite everything and everyone away with humour when uncomfortable, which can only mean one thing.

 

***

You sense the presence of someone unfamiliar and tell Frey to joins his brother and sister on the couch. “Your mother has some business to attend to, my princes and princess. Please be good and I will reward you afterwards.”

With one strong exhale, you push yourself off the ground and force your feet to walk you to the other end of the room, where Natasha Romanoff is surveying your every move. Once out of earshot, you greet the redheaded woman with a kind smile and a handshake, as one does on this planet.

“My name is Y/N, mother of Stella, Frey and Atlas, wife of Thor, God of Thunder and son of Odin.”

Natasha remains relatively unfazed by your Asgardian introduction, but Natasha wouldn’t be Natasha if she didn’t adapt to her conversational partners. “Pleasure to meet you, Y/N. My name is Natasha Romanova, former assassin, member of the Avengers and girlfriend of Clint Barton.”

You smile gratefully at her, acknowledging her effort and offering her a glass of water. She of course refuses and much rather prefers to get straight down to it, which you can accept without second thoughts. In one way or the other, Natasha is just like Thor. Straightforward, self-assured and painstakingly aware.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Swallowing shortly, you open the palm of your hand to reveal a small pendant. “This has always been with me. Perhaps Thor has informed you of my heritage, perhaps not. But I was born from a falling star, crashing into Asgardian waters. I was found by royal guards and brought to Odin, who showed me kindness and raised me.”

Natasha hums in thought, following your story closely while her mind is trying to piece together all the separate connections. “My entire body is covered in depictions of the constellations.” Rolling up your sleeves, you show her the constellation of Pegasus on your lower arm and stretching out into the constellation of Perseus on your hand and wrist.

“And when one day I came to Odin seeking council, he shared with me the story of my birth. This pendant was found in the dust settling all around me. It bears a striking resemblance to the constellations, and yet it is not one of them.”

Handing over the pendant to Natasha, she encloses it in her fingertips. “I haven’t seen anything like it before,” she whispers softly, eying it with curiosity and distrust. Her eyes take in the small gems that are supposed to represent stars, and the hard lines connecting them.

“Last night, I was keeping watch alongside Heimdall. My duties as a guard of the stars keeps my gaze attentive, yet I do not shy away from my celestial powers to further investigate certain galactic events. I am omniscient,” you explain to the redhead and her eyes widen in awe even though Natasha is rarely astonished.

“I can see possible futures and how they are all intertwined with the present. One decision can have a million different outcomes, and depending on which path the person in question wishes to follow, one of those million different outcomes shall become the present as they know it. And this very same present, and future, is ruled by the stars.”

“The nine realms are surrounded by 6 stars and last night, the three stars of fire aligned and obscured the star of ice, your planet’s sun. This brought forth an eclipse, and during this eclipse my sight had been stolen from me. I could not see anything, not the past, nor the present or the future. There was only darkness. Only when Heimdall summoned my children that my daughter Stella was able to restore my vision by creating a portal to your planet. Once I set foot on Midgard, it was as if I had never been blind.”

There’s a pause weighing heavy in the atmosphere, the assassin sensing your hesitation to continue. “What about Thor? Where is he?”

“Thor has been imprisoned and I fear the worst. There was a disruption before, when bursts of light would alter the structure of the universe and cause shockwaves on Asgard. It was then that Loki came to me with information about Thor. He is captured in between realms and Heimdall sent us to a woman who he believed would be able to help us free my husband.”

Casting your eyes downwards, Natasha realises there’s more to this story than meets the eye, especially when the trickster Loki is involved. “And it was Loki that came to you?”

“He did. He claimed to have seen a vision of Thor in his captivity. I was sceptical at first, too, but then he showed it to me and I saw he was speaking the truth,” you reply albeit a little despondent.

“Heimdall sent us to the woman that rules over Niflheim. She goes by the name of Hel. Hel rules over those who did not die a heroic or notable death, men dead of sickness or of old age. Her realm is a world of darkness and mist, where there is nothing but ice and cold. She is also one of Loki’s former lovers, cast to this realm by Odin.”

Natasha’s face contorts again at the mention of Loki’s lover, yet she allows you to continue without interruption. “The woman takes pride in her many possessions and she required a gift from me in exchange for information. I handed her a piece of jewellery that served as a wedding favour. I never really took a fancy to it, but she gladly accepted my offer. We met her at a frozen river and she claimed that she can help us save Thor, but not Asgard.”

“And what will happen to Asgard?,” Natasha queries with worry lacing her poignant voice, sharp features on high alert.

“Asgard is safe, for now. But we need your help. Hel warned us that something, someone is coming. Previously, three out of six stars aligned and it is my opinion that more will follow soon. Each night, one additional star will fall in line with the others and create an eclipse. The final alignment will create an eclipse so powerful it will shake the very core of all nine realms.”

“How much time is there usually between two alignments?”

“I’m afraid there’s no way to predict how long it will take. It could be months, weeks, days or even hours. But if I were to take an educated guess, I’d say 48 hours before another star aligns.”

Natasha’s tongue darts out to wet her lower lip, countless thoughts occupying her mind. “And how many stars are yet to align?”

“Two more stars and then all five of them surrounding your sun will cause a flare in the universe, prompting all boundaries of time to fade away momentarily.”

“So we have a little less than four days to save Asgard,” she scoffs in disbelief. “And less than four days to save Thor.”

“Fear not, Natasha Romanova,” you say as you place a tender hand on her shoulder before turning away and resuming your place amongst your children. “Even though it is as you say and we have little time, I am sure the ways of fate will lead us to the right path. After all, I am worthy.”


	3. Chapter 3

Loki’s POV

Hel was one of Frigga’s maidens, known for her snow-white hair, ivory skin and charcoal eyes. It was at one of Odin’s feasts that I spoke to her for the very first time, a cynical smirk distinguishing her from the other guests’ mirth. Thor was engaged in a lively conversation with the lady Sif, and this beautiful young dame was beckoning me to the fountain where she resided.

Her exceptional ashen appearance seduced me from the very start, because Hel was one of the few people that truly understood what it felt like to be the odd one out. And later I took her to my bed, where she remained until the time came for her to return to her quarters and tend to my mother. I had no aspirations to see her again, until I noticed my ring had vanished.

This ring was a gift from Odin to me and allowed me to help control my abilities as a shapeshifter when I was a kid. I still wear the ring every day, as a reminder of the time when I was still considered a son of Odin and not just some pity bastard. The ring holds some magic that may provide the bearer with shapeshifting abilities. Hel stole this ring from me, so she could impersonate one of Frigga’s favourites, Freya.

Freya is a sensual young woman that distinguishes herself from other girls at court with her striking, feathered cloak. She had awoken Hel’s fury after she sabotaged the affections of a young, male suitor towards the white-haired vixen. Freya, with the precious gift of eternal beauty, had bewitched the boy and made love to him in one of the common rooms of Frigga’s maidens. As Hel is of noble birth, she could not leave this blemish upon her reputation unpunished.

She disguised herself as Freya and approached him with the proposition of a night of passion. Yet instead of settling the score in such an intimate way and steal her lover back from Freya, Hel killed the young man in his sleep. She had left breadcrumbs pointing towards Freya as the culprit. Nevertheless, Freya was with Thor that very same eve, preparing for his wedding with Y/N.

Odin punished Hel accordingly and stripped her of her powers and banished her to a primordial realm long forgotten, where she would spend the rest of her days in solitude. The ice surrounding her palace as cold as her heart, solidified by the cruelty of the souls Odin chose to send to her realm. As for my ring, the Alvader ordered its destruction and presented me with a new one, a replica which only value was as an accessory.

I looked down on that same ring before coming eye to eye with Hel for what would hopefully be the last time. Heimdall sent Y/N and I to Niflheim, where we met her at the frozen river. Although she was still basking in youthful bliss, the dark poison of exile had taken its toll on her heart. Where once sarcasm laced her tongue as much as it did mine, now there was only spite.

Hel clings to her possessions like a dying soldier to his sword in the midst of battle. Y/N hands over that atrocious bracelet she got for her wedding, with deep red stones the colour of blood. The white-haired woman is pleased and adds it to the collection of charms she is already wearing. She thanks Y/N but has yet to acknowledge my presence.

“Your husband is locked in the chasm between my world and the realm of Sutr. This is Muspelheim, where fire, heat and lava reign. Between both worlds outstretches the gaping abyss of Ginnungagap, where the smoke and sparks of Muspelheim and the rime of the glacial rivers of Niflheim unite. To enter this world, you must descend the abyss at the end of the arctic river. Its water melts due to the flames of Muspelheim. The condensation that results, creates the dawn falling on Midgard and provide for its prosperous nature.”

I raise an eyebrow at her, demanding to be heard. “So all we have to do is follow the river and it’ll take us to the abyss?”

She grins wickedly, the annoyance in my voice clear, and Hel finally turns her wicked gaze to meet my eyes. “Not quite”, she chuckles darkly, conjuring a map with her fingertips that shows the path we must follow, the challenges we must face.

“When you have descended the abyss, you will find yourself in a dimly lit realm, where spirits will try to lead you to their master. You must not follow them, no matter their promises. Undoubtedly they will tell you that they will be able to guide you to Thor.’

That flicker of hope in Y/N’s eyes doesn’t go unnoticed and I reach for her hand, squeezing it in encouragement. Hel’s face falls as she drinks in my affection towards Thor’s wife. “Do not under any circumstances follow them,” she continues after clearing her throat, breaking the familiarity of the gesture. “The only spirit you have you focus your attention on is the spirit surrounded by a halo of light. Stardust will be your key to convince them to take you to Thor.”

“And what about this master?,” I query suspiciously. She sighs exasperatingly, getting frustrated and infuriated by my curiosity. Obviously my presence here is unwanted, but I am not here to please Hel. I am here because Y/N needs my help. “Is this master keeping my brother captive?”

“The master has no use for a God of Thunder,” she replies in a hushed tone, directing her warning to Y/N rather than to me. “So be aware of his motives, for it is not Thor he seeks to lure into his kingdom, but you.”

***

The walk along the frozen river is quiet, nothing but the wailing wind keeping us company. Every now and then, I swear I feel Y/N’s eyes on me, watching me carefully as we tread further and further down the river of ice, through a thick blanket of fog until we hear the clattering of the water not yet conquered by the freezing cold. It cascades down onto a staircase of stone, the slippery surface of the wet rocks proving a challenging descent.

Before us opens the abyss Hel spoke of in admiration, the vast extent of Asgard nowhere near the majesty of the chasm. The flight of stairs is right ahead of us, Y/N’s eyes darting from one side to the other, where the tones are heated by the fires of Muspelheim on one side and glazed over by the frost of Niflheim on the other. Due to the fog created by the condensation, we are unable to see where the stairs will eventually lead to. We only know that they go down to the realm between realms.

“Shall we?” Her voice is confident, yet as I tap into the glow of magic radiating off her, there’s a quivering tone underlying the strength with which she carries herself.

Our view is obstructed by the mist covering both of us in a cloak of mystery. At one point, we can only hear the drops clashing with the surface below. I put a spell around Y/N and myself to keep us dry, but the closer we get to the bottom, the more my magic seems to dissipate. Momentarily she threatens to lose her balance when a slippery step catches her off guard. Nevertheless, I am here to save her from plummeting over the edge, some bristling stones falling into the gaping abyss instead.

The final step welcomes us into the Ginnungagap, our footsteps chiming with an eerie echo. No longer do we have a clear vision over the sparks and glowing masses of the South, or the masses of ice and rime of the North that flank the Ginnungagap. Here, there is no North or South. Here, there is a heaviness that clings to your lungs as drizzling rain fills the Ginnungagap with despair. For this is the Yawning Void, a power-filled space that renders all foreign magic useless.

A gut-wrenching, ear-churning, heart-breaking cry pierces us to our very soul. It originated from the narrow body of water that appears the be lighted by a small beacon of ethereal fire. Someone – no, something is kneeling next to it, an entity as frail as silk and as shimmery as a twinkling star.

“We have visitors,” the unknown being wails again. As the apparition turns away from the puddle, it is revealed that it has no eyes, eyelids fluttering open to expose an atrocious oblivion staring back at us. “I am the Guardian of the Void, the Mother of the spirits.”

The spectre intertwines her fingers and from the palms of her hands erupts a tiny flare. It sheds light over the entire Void, making known the other ghouls that have gathered in the presence of the Mother. Unlike the Guardian, the other spirits do have eyes, bloodshot and enflamed, forming a stark contrast against their monochrome presence.

She addresses me directly, a ring of poisonous fumes exploding all around me. “You do not belong here. Leave now, or join the Children of the Void.”

“No!” Y/N’s voice carries across the Void with strident impact, penetrating the fumes and causing them to vanish into thin air. “We do not mean you any harm. We have come here in peace.”

“You,” the phantom’s deep voice continues, “You belong here. Welcome back, Y/N.”

“How do you know my name?”

The phantasm grimaces. “When a new star is born, they receive a name that is unique. Only one name can reoccur several times as it is special to the master. It belonged to the master’s wife, the Lady of the Void, and every daughter of hers shall be named Y/N.”

Meanwhile, the others have gathered closer, their striking red eyes fixated on Y/N. “Yet the name bears a curse, for every daughter has died an untimely death. Only you have survived, as the master sent you to Asgard instead where your powers would be accepted and controlled, as was the agreement he made with Odin.”

One of the Children grasps the Guardian’s hand and merges with her essence, resulting in the same horrendous scream. The female’s dark tone intensifies as she sinks to her knees again, clutching her face as sharp nails draw pitch-black blood from the woman’s skin. “Once of age, you were meant to return to the master, yet Odin married you to his son instead. All the master ever wanted you to be is happy, and you were with Thor, so he did not interfere. But now the end of Asgard is near and the master fears for your life. He asked Odin for your safe return, but he refused, and so he tried to gain your attention.”

Y/N mumble under her breath, looking over her shoulder back at me, mouthing the same four words so I can follow her trail of thought. “The bursts of light.”

“When that did not help, he was forced to take Thor into captivity.” After the blood stops gushing from her self-inflicted wounds, the Mother crawls over the ground towards Y/N’s feet, silently inviting the others to circle around us like vultures in the dessert scanning for prey. “Thor in exchange for you.”

“What kind of father does that?,” I sneer while rushing to Y/N’s side to cast away the vile monster before it can infect Y/N with whatever vile intentions she approaches her.

“You are one of us, Y/N. You are our princess, the goddess of the stars, the ruler of the realm of spirits. Our new Lady of the Void.”

Although all my magic is blocked by the unique power surging through the Void, it only emphasises Y/N’s ethereal abilities. With a wave of her hand, she locks my feet to the ground with invisible cement whilst pushing back the ghosts with an enormous blast of starlight, or so it seems. The light radiating off her does not only scare off the savage shadows wishing to sink their teeth into her ethereal body, it also illuminates a pathway that had been hidden by the numerous souls surrounding the Guardian.

At the beginning soars a lonesome creature with ghostly features bathing in a spectral shine. From afar, it does not seem like an abhorrent presence such as the Mother and her Children of the Void. It is yet again a female, a young girl with kind eyes and a soft appearance. She smiles when Y/N reaches out for her, but her hand goes right through the young girl’s flesh.

“I am a star, like you,” her childlike voice declares. “A personification, an Elemental. I am the spirit of the ice star.

“I am Y/N, wife of Thor, God of Thunder, son of Odin, and future Queen of Asgard. This is Loki, God of Mischief,” Y/N introduces us, her warm smile bringing the girl at ease. “It is such an honour to make your acquaintance.”

“This is the path of the moon, which will lead you to the mystic city of Mangata.” To meet an Elemental truly is a special moment. She has the body of a child, the voice of a woman and the soul of an ancient entity. “There the master awaits your arrival. But be aware, he will only let Thor go if you promise to never return to Asgard.”

Goosebumps rise on Y/N’s skin when the Elemental rests her fingertips on her upper arm. “And if I choose to go to Midgard?,” Y/N informs gently, feeling the cold of the ice star rush through her veins.

“He will not keep Thor for much longer, now that you have come here. If you wish to return with your husband to Midgard, he will not stop you. You can go wherever your heart desires, except Asgard. Ragnarok is near, Y/N, and the master solely seeks your safety. That is why he wants you here, yet if you do not see this, there’s no point in forcing you to stay. Unless…”

“Unless what?,” I hiss through gritted teeth, my jaw clenched.

“Unless you go to Midgard, where you will be free of harm,” the young girl finishes her sentence, glaring at me from the corner of her eye. “If you go to Midgard, with your children, where you shall be out of harm’s way, far removed from Ragnarok, the master will let Thor go.”

“You can’t be serious about this, Y/N?,” I reason with her, stepping closer to the Elemental. The young girl does not flinch, yet spreads a gust of cold air around her and Y/N, like a cocoon meant to protect the caterpillar becoming a butterfly. “Asgard is your home.”

My fingertips momentarily breech the spell surrounding them as I cup her cheek with tender intent. The Elemental is astonished and transforms into a small storm, snowflakes dusting Y/N in a coat of delicate snow. During this storm, she says something to Y/N that solidifies her decision. Everything I say or do will go to waste, for the Elemental has the upper hand. The Elemental is just like Y/N, and understands the ways of the stars better than anyone else.

“Where Thor is, I shall follow,” Y/N agrees with a sincere expression. “And if giving up Asgard is the price I have to pay for the safe return of my husband, then so be it. Now, take me to your master. Take me to Mangata.”


	4. Chapter 4

Loki’s POV

As the Elemental walks us down the illuminated road, down the path of the moon towards Mangata, she tells the story of Y/N’s ancestry. I can sense Y/N’s scepticism, her need to tread carefully, but I can also almost smell the curiosity rolling off her.

She was born as the second child and came after Mani, the god of the moon. He is her elder brother and the founder of Mangata, together with the master. Mangata was named in Mani’s honour and if not for Y/N’s great powers, he would’ve been crowned king once the master stepped down. But the master decided differently and after the demise of her mother, he passed on the crown of the queen of Mangata to Y/N at a very young age.

But those same, great powers the master could not contain nor feed off without risking his own destruction and that of Mangata. So he sent the goddess of the stars to Asgard. Yet now his life is threatening to come to an end, and he is need of his successor if he wishes to preserve this realm’s existence regardless if he has to cast his son Mani aside to do so.

I did not know what I was expecting when the Elemental, the ice star, said it would bring us to its master. Said master is in fact unconscious and being kept alive by the life force of his children. As we arrive at the throne room, the Elemental introduces us to his children. There is Sol, the goddess of the sun, Mani, god of the moon and Jörd, goddess of the earth. Dagr, god of the daytime and Nott goddess of the night. The master and his children are protected by two wolves, Hati and Skoll, roaming around them like vultures around a dead carcass.

The throne on which they reside is crafted from solid gold, the brightest diamonds and the most enthralling jewellery, unseen richness reaching as far as the eye can see and even further. The tips of my fingers are tingling with greed yet I keep my hands at my side when Mani’s silver eyes lock with mine, his skin the human equivalent of the coal from Midgardian mines.

“Who is this heathen?”

With a voice that shakes the entire temple with its regal grandeur, Mani demands to know the reason of our visit. Displeased with this unexpected and unwanted visit, he straightens his back and easily towers over his other siblings. There’s no doubt that Mani, the god of the moon, reigns with an iron fist while his father, the master, stands idly by.

I see it in the way he squeezes his father’s shoulder and his face contorts in discomfort, the notion of pain already lost on this fragment of a king living his last breath thanks to his children’s charity. I see it in the way the heads of his brothers and sisters bow down as he passes them on his way to the edge of the throne. I see it in the way the wolves whimper under his gaze as he tells them to stand down. And most of all, I see it in the way his eyes burn into Y/N’s.

“You,” he points towards her with an accusatory finger. “Wife of Thor. Return to your gilded Asgard.” Mani then drops his arm and turns to me next, scoffing in dismay. “And you, bastard son. Return to the dust that was your womb.”

His words anger Y/N to the point she is one entity of boiling lava, a volcano on the verge of erupting and when she does, the universe hath no fury like a scorned goddess. Mani’s dictating presence that clouded the room is cut off by the thunder of Y/N’s heart.

“Hvordan våger du å snakke så lite av min bror. Han er mer en bror til meg enn du noen gang vil være. Jeg kjenner deg ikke, og du kjenner meg ikke. Så tør du ikke bestille meg rundt!”

(“How dare you speak so lowly of my brother. He is more a brother to me than you will ever be. I do not know you and you do not know me. So don’t you dare order me around!”)

There’s a cheeky smile tugging at the corners of Mani’s lips. “I see you still know our language.” Snapping his fingers and waving his hand, he gestures for Sol to hand him his spear. “So let’s see if you still have our family’s abilities.”

Unaware of which abilities Mani is speaking of, Y/N’s puzzled eyes soon darken as her brother throws the spear in my direction. I don’t even have to blink my eyes once before the spear stops right in between my eyes, the sharp edge of the pointed tip pressing against an invisible surface summoned by Y/N. Her intent gaze is fixed on the spear but as I follow Mani’s eyes, I see they are not looking at Y/N but instead are firing arrows at the woman, Sol, standing next to him with a smirk.

“I told you, brother, that Y/N will always be our sister,” she smiles smugly, a voice so warm and an appearance so joyful it is as if I’m staring directly at centre of heaven. “No brother or sister of Mangata can harm another brother or sister, or their loved ones. That is how it is written by the master and these rules we must obey.”

With gritted teeth Mani has to agree with his sister Sol and as he waves his hand, the spear drops to the floor and I release a relieved breath. “Thank you. Got me worried for a minute there.”

“I didn’t come here for games,” Y/N claims in an electrifying tone. “I came here for my husband. I was told that you will release him if I retreat to Midgard. This I shall do. Now it’s your turn to keep your end of the agreement. Tell me where is Thor?”

“Ta med fangen,” instructs Mani to the guards. (Bring the prisoner) Thor is stripped of his robes, dressed in bloody rags as he struggles against the man dragging him across the floor. “Her er mannen din”. (Here’s your husband)

Y/N rushes towards him, kneeling next to the blond and carding her hands through his hair. His long tresses have been cut short, my brother almost unrecognisable. “My love,” she whispers into his ear while ridding him of the chains knotting his hands and feet together.

“We must go at once, Y/N. No more words, no more hesitation,” he urges her immediately, pressing a hasty kiss to her plump lips. “These are treacherous territories. Do not trust them, even if they are your family!”

Once standing on his two feet, he conjures a bolt of lightning and holds it in his hand as a weapon, ready to aim for Mani who simply claps his hands in amusement. Thor of course is oblivious to as why Mani does not seem to be threatened by his display of power.

“Søt,” he chuckles arrogantly as Thor’s thunder vaporises into thin air. (cute)

“Thank you. We will go now,” Y/N bids goodbye but it is already too late. Even with these few words, she has already fallen into Mani’s trap. Before she can hook Thor’s shoulder around her and turn around, Mani appears in front of her and slaps her right in her face.

With a malicious laugh he kicks a severely weakened Thor to the ground, waving over his guards to take him back to his confinement. After striking Y/N across the cheek a second time, I am exploding with rage. But I can’t move, I can’t speak, I can’t do anything to prevent him from hurting her again. I am nailed to the spot by an invisible hand, the two wolves barking at me with their vile teeth sharp and ready for attack.

“Forlat dem. Det er ingen å stoppe ham. Han er den eldste og vi må adlyde. Så lenge hun var fraværende og mesteren var syk …,” Sol explains to me once our eyes cross and I understand she is the one holding me back. “Vi er like, du og jeg, Loki. Vi begge står igjen i skyggen av vår bror. Vi er begge formørket av våre kjære.”

(Leave them. There is no stopping him. He is the eldest and we must obey. As long as she was absent and the master ill… We are much alike, you and I, Loki. We both are left standing in the shadow of our brother. We are both eclipsed by our loved ones.)

Even though I don’t speak the language, I hear every word she speaks to me. “Who do you think help build Asgard? Where does all that gold come from?,” she asks me, no longer speaking in her strange tongue. “Mangata was the first city. The master and Mani helped Odin build his kingdom and his palace. And in return the master sent Y/N to Odin, so he could help her control her powers.”

“Sol is right,” Mani confirms in a hoarse voice. Y/N has started to block his hands with a force field of starlight, blows of stardust sending chills down Mani’s spine but they’re never enough to harm him. “Father and I created Mangata as much as we created Asgard. We were the first.”

Y/N can’t hold her defences much longer and once she takes a step in the wrong direction and gets hit by Mani’s spear, she falls down onto her knees, clutching her side where a golden substance is seeping from the wound. It is her blood, a rich golden hue befitting a goddess of the stars.

“We shall hold Thor here for as long as we like. The deal you spoke of is with the master, yet it is I who is keeping him alive. So it is I who decided whether or not the deal goes through.”

“I thought brother and sister can’t hurt each other?,” I shout at Sol, who appears to be just as shook as I am.

“It’s impossible,” she mumbles inaudibly. “There is no way this is possible.”

“It appears Asgard has made you weak, sister,” Mani grins wickedly, “I can only imagine what Midgard will do to you.”

Through gritted teeth, Y/N hisses back at Mani. “Jeg skal hente mine barn og bringe oss til Midgard. Min mann som venner der, helter som vil hjelpe meg med å beseire deg. Fordi jeg kommer tilbake, merk mine ord. Og når jeg gjør det, vil Mangata bli min igjen.”

(I will retrieve my children and bring us to Midgard. My husband as friends there, heroes that will help me defeat you. Because I will return, mark my words. And when I do, Mangata will be mine again.)

“Du kan ikke stoppe Ragnarok. Du kan prøve å stoppe meg, men snart vil andre fornemme din svakhet og komme for deg. Hel, Surtur,… De vil jakte deg og skade deg langt mer enn jeg har nå. Du tilhørte aldri Asgard. Du vil aldri høre hjemme i Midgard. Dine barn tilhører Asgard. Din mann tilhører Asgard. Men du tilhører her. Dagen du skjønner det og kommer til å krype tilbake, jeg vil være der du dreper deg.”

(You cannot stop Ragnarok. You can try and stop me, but soon others will sense your weakness and come for you. Hel, Surtur,… They will hunt you down and hurt you far more than I have now. You never belonged in Asgard. You will never belong in Midgard. Your children belong in Asgard. Your husband belongs in Asgard. But you belong here. The day you realise that and come crawling back, I willl be there you kill you.)

The Elemental opens a portal underneath Y/N, sending her tumbling in towards Midgard without much further ado. Yet before Sol can push me into the portal as well, I turn to Mani and Sol and the others one last time. “Y/N is the rightful heir of Mangata. This farce you’re putting up won’t last for much longer. Soon it will be you bowing down to her.”

“I don’t think so. Does she know you are in love with her?,” Mani bites back as the portal swallows me, Sol’s radiant glow obscured by Mani’s sickening dusk. “Because there’s no better weapon than unrequited love.”

“Go to hell, ditt svin.” (you bastard/swine/pig)

“I believe that’s exactly where you’re going, bastard sønn.” (bastard son)


	5. Chapter 5

When you fell through the portal, you and Loki got separated and you ended up on Asgard once again. Loki however fell through the cracks and the portal transported him back to Niflheim. Mani wasn’t lying when he threatened to send Loki back to hell – quite literally.

The blonde scoffs when she finds Loki biting the cold snowflakes that cover the ground in her realm. “I thought I got rid of you,” she comments dryly. “I take it you met Mani.”

Dusting off his robes, Loki groans inwardly. He will never seize to be annoyed by Hell, but at this moment in time there is only one person he hates more than her. “Yes,” he replies while gritting his teeth, “Where is Y/N?”

Hell is genuinely surprised by his question. “The last time I saw her with you was the last time I spoke to her. I believe Mani must’ve guided her to another realm than here.”

Just his luck, he thinks as he rolls his eyes and demands Hell tells him how he can get back to Asgard, figuring that’s the first place Y/N will return to. Hell is a little hesitant to reveal to him the single exit out of her realm, having kept it a secret for decades as it would allow the spirits to escape without her knowledge. But she isn’t keen on spending any more time with Loki, and so she points him in the right direction.

“Oh, and Loki?,” she coos softly, unlocking the gate that would bring him back to Asgard with an enchantment. “There’s only one thing more powerful than Y/N that can bring down Mani and his reign. I highly suggest you find Odin’s vault. Mani’s not invincible, though he likes to think he is. ”

“I think I already know what you mean,” he chuckles darkly. With a curt nod in gratitude, Loki ascends from Hellheim and back to Asgard.

Meanwhile in Asgard, you collect your most precious belonging and tell your children to get ready to leave. You can’t stay in Asgard for much longer, as this is exactly the place where Mani expect you to be and you can’t give him that advantage. Your children whine and complain, missing their father and having missed their mother too.

Telling one of your maidens to bring them to Heimdall and wait for you there, you descend to the deepest corners of the royal palace, following the runes as inscribed on the palace walls that will lead you to the vault. There’s no way on earth you will trade your own powers in exchange for your husband’s life, because once Mani has got his hands on you, he will kill you and Thor immediately and harvest your powers for his own personal gain.

But once you reach the vault, you notice the entrance has been breached and someone has beat you to it, searching amongst Odin’s treasures for a blue entity created at the dawn of the universe. The Tesseract.

Loki is holding it in his hands, his eyes eager with that same lust for power that caused Thor to lose faith in his brother and incarcerate him after Loki invaded New York on Midgard. Yet as soon as Loki is made aware of your presence, his head snaps in your direction and his eyes lock with yours. Soon thereafter he offers you the Tesseract.

“Hell told me it’s the only way to destroy Mani and get Thor back safely,” he explains when you accept the blue cube, it’s power pulsating in the palm of your hands. Upon first making contact with the Tesseract, it quivers a little as it is now in the vicinity of an alternate power source much alike its own.

Crushing the Tesseract with all your might, Loki’s eyes grow big in confusion as he takes a few fast strides towards you to prevent you from further destroying the cube. But Loki does not have the same information you have and you know for a fact the true power of the Tesseract does not lie in its form, but rather in its heart, the space stone.

Balancing the delicate gem between your fingertips, you show it to Loki who marvels at its beauty. “We will offer this to Mani. He is not equipped to control the space stone. Only I can, or so did Odin believe.”

“He never told me in order to protect me, but this infinity stone is what gave birth to me and thus is the source of all my powers. It is also why we must enlist the help of Wanda Maximoff on Midgard. Her powers were given to her by another infinity stone. She must accompany us so we can combine our strengths and destroy the space stone for good.”

“You want to destroy the space stone?” Loki is confused by your statement, clearly recalling you telling him you’ll offer it to Mani instead.

“Yes, we will destroy the stone,” you confirm while leaving the vault with Loki hot on your heels, “And we will destroy Mani with it.”

Once you have joined your children, Heimdall announces that he cannot open the Bifrost just yet as there have been some irregularities that raised his concern. You demand him to open to Bifrost anyway and allow you passage to Midgard, but before he can do so, you are made aware of one of the disruptions he was talking about.

The death of a star is something extremely devastating but also incredibly mesmerizing. A star is a massive light burning through the skies of the universe and once it blows out, vibrations can be felt through every realm, shaking you to your very core. As soon as you are made aware of this, your vision first blurred before it is taken away permanently.

Your daughter Stella tugs at your hand and her worried voice cuts through bone and marrow when she notices you are very distressed by your loss of sight. “I can’t see anything, Heimdall,” you gasp when clasping a hand in front of your eyes.

“Stella,” Heimdall addresses your daughter while crouching down next to her. “I cannot open the Bifrost when a star has died. But you have your father’s powers and can transport your mother to Midgard. All you have to do is focus on two words and two words only. Stark Tower.”

The girl starts to repeat those two words, Stark Tower, over and over again while you and your two other sons join hands and they guide you to stand in a circle. Heimdall bids you goodbye and good luck, before your daughter successfully shifts your bodies from Asgard to Midgard in the blink of an eye.

“My name is Y/N, mother of Stella, Frey and Atlas, wife of Thor, God of Thunder and son of Odin,” you introduce yourself to Natasha Romanova once you arrive on Midgard, at Stark Tower.

“Pleasure to meet you, Y/N,” she replies with grace and elegance, even doing a curtesy. “My name is Natasha Romanova, former assassin, member of the Avengers and girlfriend of Clint Barton.”

As you take a sip of your glass of water, the redhead eyes you curiously. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Swallowing shortly, you open the palm of your hand to reveal a small pendant. You explain to Natasha how this pendant came with you when you were born after a falling star crashing into Asgardian waters. Now you know that this stone was given to you by your father, to help you channel your powers and find your way back to Mangata. To convince Natasha that you speak the truth, you show how your entire body is covered in constellations.

You tell Natasha how one day Odin told you exactly how you were born, but also that he withheld a vital piece of information. He had forsaken to tell you the painful truth, that you were expected to one day return to your true place of birth. “He also omitted some other details,” you clarify while opening the palm of your other hand. “Such as this.”

Revealing the space stone to the former assassin, she does not realise what it is you are holding. Closing your fingers around the stone again, you inform her what it is. “This stone came from the Tesseract and has been stored in Odin’s vault on Asgard. It is also what has been weakening me, as we are both created from the same source of power when the universe came into being.”

“Last night, I was keeping watch alongside Heimdall. Little did I know ‘twas to be my last watch.” Your duties as a guard of the stars and as an omniscient deity inspire awe in Natasha but she does not show it. “Heimdall sent us to the woman that rules over Niflheim. She goes by the name of Hel and she showed us the way to Mangata.”

“Mangata?,” Natasha mimics with hesitation. “What’s that?”

“Mangata is a mystical city that can only be reached via the path of the moon. It was the first realm to ever be created. We met an Elemental at the beginning of this path, the ice star, who warned us for what is to come. It is detrimental we liberate Thor and forever lay waste to Mani.”

As you continue and tell Natasha about your confrontation with Mani, you notice she has grown increasingly uncomfortable, nervously wringing her hands together. Natasha is not the kind of woman to worry easily, but as she is beginning to understand more and more what’s at stake, she too has to admit this will require the utmost effort of all the Avengers.

Offering you the services of the team, she is surprised you decline immediately. “I only need to speak to Wanda Maximoff. As aforementioned, I will explain everything in due time, but first I need to talk to miss Maximoff.”

Natasha nods and asks you to stay where you are as she fetches Wanda. The young Maximoff sister joins you soon thereafter, taking a bow first before introducing herself. “Please, no need for that,” you dismiss her with a friendly and warm smile. “I am no more than a traveller, a visitor, requesting the help of Earth’s mightiest heroes.”

Wanda reciprocates your kind words and asks you how she can be of service. “Wanda Maximoff, you powers are derived of the mind stone, one of six infinity stones.” Explaining to her how the infinity stones were created, you also confess you are afraid to fail in your attempt to free your husband Thor.

“I am extremely powerful, but in Mangata my powers aren’t as great as in any other realm. It is because I was born there. Like I said before, the Tesseract on Asgard has weakened me as well. This is where I need your assistance. Mani will be distracted by the space stone once I offer it to him. Meanwhile, Loki will free Thor from his chains and make their escape. Once they are out of harm’s way, we will have to destroy the stone together.”

The brunette does not need to think long or hard about your request, agreeing to it as soon as you have finished your proposal. “If I can help save the universe, I will,” she nods in determination.

Kinking an eyebrow at the girl in admiration for her strength and beauty, but most of all her determination, you tell her it’s time to assemble the Avengers. “We need to inform them of the existence of the infinity stones before Midgard is confronted with their powers as well.”


	6. Chapter 6

“If there’s only one way to reach Mangata,” Steve notes with a pensive look in his eyes, “How will you be able to reach it from here?”

You exchange a look with your daughter, who is positively glowing when you compliment her on her ability to travel from one realm to the other, just like Thor. “Stella created a portal that brought us here, so she can create one to bring us to Mangata too. Mani conjured one and magic like that leaves traces. If Stella can focus on these traces, she will be able to transport us there in no time.”

“Alright, better get to work then,” he decides with a nod and assigns all the avengers their respective tasks.

Together with Vision, Wanda works on studying the space stone and its abilities whilst Tony tinkers at an appropriate necklace to accompany the blue stone. As soon as Mani wants to put the necklace around his neck, the stone will temporarily block his malicious powers, aided by Wanda’s intervention of course.

Meanwhile Natasha, Steve and Bucky keep an eye on your children as you prepare for battle in your own way. Loki will join you in Mangata as you forbade him to travel to Midgard with you and the children, thus he will travel via the path of the moon instead. Once everything’s in order, you go over the final details with Wanda one last time.

Stella managed to quickly pick up on the magic Mani used and taps into it easily. “Listen to mister Rogers and mister Barnes, okay, children?,” you tell them while kissing their hair one by one.

After locking eyes with Wanda, your surroundings start to blur and not even a second later you’re standing at the gates of Mangata, right where it all started. Loki is already waiting for you and when him and Wanda first are introduced to one another, the air is pulled taut and tension is rolling off both parties in thick waves.

“Let’s just move along, shall we?,” you ask both witches, Loki going his own separate way as he will sneak into the dungeon to free his brother. Chills run up and down Wanda’s body when the gates open and reveal the splendour of Mangata.

Once you reach the throne room where normally the master resides with his children, there’s no one to be found. The quarters are stripped of any divine presence, or so it seems to be, as Wanda alerts you there might be an illusion at play. And she is right, because as soon as you step foot onto the imaginary circle on the floor, illustrated by the candles that were carefully placed in their respective places, both of your feet are locked in place and you can no longer move.

“I see you have chosen to return,” Mani addresses you first before his eyes wander to Wanda and he smirks. “Ah, you brought company.” He doesn’t acknowledge the brunette’s presence any further as his attention is drawn to the pendant hanging from your neck. The space stone.

Reaching for the stone and snapping the necklace off you, Mani’s reaction so far is exactly as you’d hoped for. Yet instead of putting on the necklace himself, he strips the stone of its attachments and throws them away. Now he only holds the stone in the palm of his hands.

“You have come to offer me an infinity stone in exchange for your husband, am I right?”

“Take the stone and let us go,” you negotiate with the deity, but he doesn’t want to hear your pleas. He moves away from you and takes a step towards Wanda, his eyes shining with mischief, and you swallow thickly when he cradles the poor girl’s face in his large hands. “Don’t harm her. She is innocent.”

“She is no more innocent as you and I, Y/N,” Mani snaps back at you, removing himself from Wanda and returning to the throne. As he explains what happened to the master, a sinking feeling overwhelms you in the pit of your stomach.

The master has died for Mani has killed him, together with his brothers and sisters. “I gave them no choice. It was either their life or the master’s.”

His confession nauseates you but you cannot let your attention get driven away from the task at hand. You need to stall as long as possible for Loki to succeed with his mission. Mani has obviously lost his interest in the space stone, and you figure that is because he is unaware of its true power. So the only trick that remains up your sleeve is to link yours and Wanda’s abilities to those of the stone.

“Mangata is yours now. You have no more reason to hold us. Let us go,” Wanda speaks directly to Mani, who cackles in response, his wicked eyes trained on the witch with cruel intent.

“You are a feisty one,” he mumbles to himself, “Maybe I’ll make you my bride.” Wanda is immediately taken aback by his statement, but soon thereafter he corrects himself, amused by his dismay. “If only you weren’t a filthy Midgardian.”

Locking his eyes with yours, he notices how you’re balling your hands into fists. “Why so uncomfortable, sister?”

While Mani leans further back onto his new throne, he is still oblivious to Loki’s whereabouts in the dungeon. It was not an easy task locating Thor in the maze that is the underground of Mangata, but he managed to enchant the guards and weasel his way past any other spells and boundaries that had been set up to secure the prisoners in their ghastly quarters.

Once Thor lays eyes on his brother, he erupts into cheer joy. “Dear brother of mine! Have you come to liberate me from my confinement?”

Rolling his eyes at the blond, Loki murmurs that is indeed Y/N’s plan. As soon as your name falls off Loki’s lips, Thor’s expression of glee turns into one of determination. When Loki breaks him out, Thor intends to storm upstairs and towards the throne room, if Loki hadn’t stopped him first of course.

“Y/N has a plan, brother,” he assures Thor, reprimanding him for being so impulsive. “We must get out of here now!”

“No, brother, you don’t understand!” Thor raises his hammer and prepares for battle, readying his robes. “It is an ambush! I overheard Mani speak to his siblings. They killed their master and now intend to kill Y/N as she is next in line. It’s only upon her death that Mani truly be the ruler of Mangata!”

Sure enough, Thor has been right all along. The candles were placed in a circle around you an Wanda, the first step in the powerful incantation Mani had constructed together with his siblings who simply cooperated out of unadulterated fear for their tyrant brother.

The first one to emerge into the room is Sol, the sister that attempted to defend you upon your first time in Mangata. She is whispering the words to the spell, followed closely by Dagr and Nott, holding a ceremonial knife and sword. Lastly there’s . There is Jörd, holding the urn with the ashes of the master. Carefully spreading them in the shape of a circle, the ashes connecting the candles together and visibly representing the circle they create, the second step of the ritual has been completed.

“What are they doing, Y/N?,” Wanda asks in anguish, her face contorted in confusion.

You could choose to reassure the young witch, but it is of no avail as she already knows the answer to her question. They are preparing death rites. “They mean to strip me of my powers, feed off me first. Then I will be human and they can kill me. For a sibling cannot kill another sibling, only harm them when they are weak.”

It’s the presence of the space stone that has always weakened you, which is also what you explained to Natasha and Wanda back on Midgard. They do not mean to kill Wanda though, and she means to use this in her advantage.

Beckoning Mani closer, Wanda pretends to pledge her loyalty to the self-proclaimed king of Mangata. “I, Wanda Maximoff, have been given a gift of magic by another infinity stone, the mind stone. I do not wish to die, my lord. I only wish to serve you.”

Somewhat intrigued by her proposal, Mani appears to consider her proposal. Alerting his siblings to stop with their tasks momentarily, he allows Wanda to step out of the circle. But it is not time yet to strike, Mani still wary of her intentions.

“Speak, little witch, and show me your abilities.”

Wanda does what she does best, creating illusions that will play with the deity’s mind. He is still more powerful than Wanda and can see through the illusion, but his brothers and sisters are more easily distracted. This allows you to perform your own share of magic, conjuring a gust of air and breaking the ashes that connect the candles and thus breaking the circle.

This however doesn’t mean you’re free, as the candles are still in place. Figuring out a way to distort the candles while Mani is marvelling at Wanda’s mirage, Loki and Thor’s frames show up in the corner of your eye. You can’t let anyone know you’ve seen them but subtly nod in the direction of the candles, hoping Loki will pick up on what you’re implying.

The clever God of Mischief instantly knows what he has to do, slipping through the gold-plated marble columns and stealing the candle closest to him. Thor is the one who has the honour to blow out the flame that will release you from your imaginary yet powerful shackles.

The avengers gingerly weaves an intricate net of illusions in which Mani greedily indulges, more and more convinced of Wanda’s abilities and how she could come of good use to his reign. But while he allows himself to become less watchful, you take back the space stone he left lingering on his throne.

Snapping out of the illusion, Mani is enraged by her tricks and strikes her down. The young woman collapses onto the ground and you shout her name, hoping to catch a sign that she is still alive. Her breathing is shallow, her chest barely heaving up and down, but she is still alive. Nevertheless you can’t save her as long as you haven’t dealt with Mani.

The space stone floats up from the palms of your hands, like a diamond reflecting the light in a rainbow of colours, filling the throne room with its magnetic pulse. You thought you needed Wanda to help you destroy the stone, but now that you see how the stone aches to return to space, to the starts above, you realise you were never weakened by its presence.

Thor joins your side and laces his fingers with yours, squeezing your hand encouragingly as he threatens Mani. “You might have imprisoned me, but you will never be able to kill me. We are much stronger than you, for we know what it means to truly be a God.” He looks to you with fierce eyes and a loving smile playing on his lips, breaking his ferocious character. “Or Goddess.”

When you married Thor, your powers became intertwined and you gave up a part of your divine abilities so you could share them with your husband. Subsequently, Thor did the same but instead of giving you a share of his powers, you passed them along to your children instead.

Therefore, the stone is not the reason you will never be as powerful as you were when you were born in Mangata. Therefore, you are still strong enough to ensure the destruction of the stone and Mani.

Thor channels his hammer onto the stone as the constellations on your body light up in a soft glow when you reach out to caress the stone one last time. Then Thor releases a lightning bolt as the power of a thousand stars ascends onto the infinity stone as well.

Mani screams on the top of his lungs before the space stone shatters into a million little pieces and the blast takes out both Mani and his siblings. After this Mani is weakened enough for Loki to drive a knife through his heart. Just like the stone, Mani turns to dust.


	7. Chapter 7

With the death of Mani, the destruction of Mangata was ensured. The pillars of what was once the most enchanting city, created from the first breath of life after the universe came into being, came crumbling down and turned into dust alongside Mani.

Thanks to Sol, who guided you through the maze of Mangata, you, Thor, Loki and Wanda made it out alive just in time before Mangata sunk into the ground. You had begged Sol and her brothers and sister to come with you, but she was adamant in het decision that they should die with Mangata, for this is their home.

After you safely returned Wanda to Midgard and celebrated together with the Avengers and your husband, it was time for you and your children to go back to Asgard for more private festivities. You finally had your husband back and after he lulled your ecstatic children to sleep, he treated you to a passionate night full of love making, showing each other just how much you had missed one another.

Emerging from your bedroom and onto the balcony overlooking the glory of Asgard, you look up at the stars that have guided you on this journey and protected you every step of the way. Your husband Thor is still soundly asleep and his snoring proof of that. So it is not his figure that diffuses in the moonlight before he makes himself known.

“Loki,” you smile warmly in greeting, the dark-haired God approaching and standing on the balcony next to you. “I thought you had already left.”

“I didn’t want to leave Asgard without saying goodbye,” he replies solemnly, knowing that his time here has run out. Thor had allowed him to stay here and live with you, but Loki politely declined, claiming he had some unfinished business in another realm.

In truth, Loki just didn’t want to live in Asgard anymore because of you. His lips curl downwards in a small, sad grin and you catch a glimpse of his true feelings passing by in his grey-green eyes. You have always known how he felt about you but decided against acting upon it. You were always meant to be with Thor.

“Loki, before you speak any further, I just wanted to make this clear to you.” He nods and intends to listen carefully to your next words. Yet the god is surprised by this sudden turn in events. He came here to ask you to listen to him, not the other way around.

“There is nothing more between us than between a brother and his sister,” you clarify while silencing the hopeful whispers of Loki’s heart, your eyes trained on his while the stars behind Loki’s eyes start to fade. He came here to claim to opposite, to proclaim his love for you which he held in the bottom of his heart for too long. “It has always been this way and I see no reason to change it now.”

Taking a step closer so his body is inches removed from yours, he wraps his hands around yours, cold to the touch from the evening air. Rubbing his thumb over the soft skin, he gives you a tight-lipped smile in an attempt to sound sincere. “I just came here to say goodbye, Y/N.”

There’s hesitation dawning on you, a sliver of that so-called sincerity he is preaching sounding not so genuine in the aftermath of Mani’s demise. You’ve chosen to ignore his truth and live only by yours. “I love you, brother.”

As if you’ve just plunged a knife into his heart yourself, Loki repeats your sentiment and kisses your cheek before he turns around, facing the night sky. Before his body slides into the shadows once more, from the corner of his eyes he catches one last glimpse of you. Then he is gone and you can return to Thor’s side.

“Who were you talking to?,” Thor mumbles sleepily, barely aware of anything that has passed between you and Loki. He just heard some distant voices and even believes he might’ve been imagining it, which makes it all the easier for you to reassure him.

While Thor envelopes you back into his arms and his warm embrace fills you with love and joy, you tell him it was just a dream. “Sleep now, my love, for tomorrow morning we have another baby to conceive.”

Prying one eye open, Thor gazes down at you with a big, boyish smile. “Another baby?,” he inquires with obvious delight. “Does that mean you have reconsidered my proposal?”

“Yes,” you confirm with the same amount of happiness lacing your voice. “One last prince or princess to complete the family. If there’s anything I’ve learnt from our adventure, it’s that I would give my own life to save yours and that family is a priceless gift that you can only give to yourself. So if you want another child, my darling husband, I want another child as well.”


End file.
